At least five rockets are launched from the Iraqi town of Zummar towards a US military base in northeastern Syria, security sources tell Reuters. The attack against American forces is the first since February, when Iranian-backed groups in Iraq stopped targeting US troops.
The big picture: What you need to know about Middle East crisis as we enter new week
The last week was spent anticipating an Israeli response to Iran’s unprecedented missile and drone attack on Israel on 13 April.
And then it came on Friday when an airbase near the Iranian city of Isfahan – known for its role in Iran’s nuclear research – was hit.
Israel hasn’t commented on the strike but the US told a G7 meeting that Israel had told it about the attack “at the last minute”.
The strike appears to have been limited and symbolic in nature to send a warning rather than ignite a bigger confrontation, according to our international correspondent Alex Rossi.
Israeli drones used in attack ‘more like toys’ – Iran
Iran dismissed the danger of the drones used by Israel.
The country’s foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian claimed they took off from within Iran and only flew a few hundred metres before being shot down.
“It has not been proved to us that there is a connection between these and Israel,” Mr Amir-Abdollahian told Sky’s US partner NBC News.
The foreign minister said they were “more like toys that our children play with” than a serious threat, as he sought to play down the Israeli action.
Iran also referred to it as an “infiltration” rather than a serious “external attack”.
However, our military analyst Professor Michael Clarke said it appeared likely ballistic missiles were used in the attack – and that both sides were trying to “save face”.
